This is Ethiopian Review Policy Research Center’s series on From Dictatorship to Democracy extracted/quoted from books and articles published by Albert Einstein Institution and similar sources.
***
DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE AS THE ALTERNATIVE TO TYRANNY
By Peter F. Drucker
The alternative to autonomous institutions that function and perform is not freedom. It is totalitarian tyranny.
If the institutions of our pluralist society of institutions do not perform in responsible autonomy, we will not have individualism and a society in which there is a chance for people to fulfill themselves.
We will, instead impose on ourselves complete regimentation in which no one will be allowed autonomy. We will have Stalinism rather than participatory democracy, let alone the joyful spontaneity of doing one’s own thing.
Tyranny is the only alternative to strong, performing autonomous institutions.
Tyranny substitutes one absolute boss for the pluralism of competing institutions.
It substitutes terror for responsibility. It does indeed do away with the institutions, but only by submerging all of them in the one all-embracing bureaucracy of the apparat.
It does produce goods and services, though only fitfully, wastefully, at a low level and at an enormous cost in suffering, humiliation, and frustration.
To make our institutions perform responsibly, autonomously, and on a high level of achievement is thus the only safeguard of freedom and dignity in the pluralist society of institutions.
Performing, responsible management (democratic governance) is the alternative to tyranny and our only protection against it.
THE DAILY DRUCKER, 2004 by Petter F. Drucker pp12
To View the Logical Relationships of the Democratic Elements for the Process of Poverty Reduction (Economic Growth) CLICK and SCROLL:Democratic vs Tyrannic Governance for Economic Growth
You wrote: “The alternative to autonomous institutions that function and perform is not freedom. It is totalitarian tyranny.”
I know examples of “totalitarian tyranny.” But I do not know examples of “autonomous institutions.” Institutions depend on each other, and on participating people.
Ludwik Kowalski (see Wikipedia)
http://csam.montclair.edu/~kowalski/life/intro.html
[Reply]
Sioum Gebeyehou Reply:
May 26th, 2012 at 1:01 pm
When Peter Drucker speaks about “autonomous institutions” he is talking about Freedom and Individual Responsibility. He makes clear the requirement for individual responsibility to be achieved and maintained effecively individual freedom is needed. You need to be autonomous to choose between doing or not doing something, to act one way or another, to hold one belief or the opposite.
It generates commitment and not compliance. Commitment is “it is my initiation, I will do my level best, I own it. Compliance is “it is forced upon me, I am just going to do just enough to get you off my back” Commitment is maximum performance, Compliance is minimum performace.
The Responsible and autonomous individual or institution is not only a performer who is accountable for specific results but also who has authority to do whatever is necessary to produce these results and who, finally, is committed to these results as a personal achievement.
This is the kind of institutions that will provide the conditions for genuine freedom for individuals in institutions.
[Reply]
Kidist Reply:
May 26th, 2012 at 5:51 pm
Prof Ludwik Kowalski,
I just read your bio. You seem to be a “walking encyclopedia” on Stalinsm and tyranny for economic growth. You have lived it and you have wrote about it. Could you write a short essay on the the Self Serving Prime Minister’s statement “There is no direct relationship between economic growth and democracy, historically or theoretically,” Meles Zenawi told the World Economic Forum in Ethiopia last week. “I don’t believe in bedtime stories, contrived arguments linking economic growth with democracy.”
[Reply]
The last 21 years was nothing but a sad years for majority of Ethiopians. The so called TPLF leaders managed to control everything . For them life improved from nothing to everything. For many Ethiopians from something to nothing. I believe history will repeat it self . The time has come for Ethiopians. So we need to stand up claim out time.
[Reply]
If we go back and read really the stoy of Stalinism, where I read, Stalin under the pretext of Peasantry and against the Czar as fedualists as some Ethiopians calling the emperors feudalists, was actually forming his own Tyranny and totalitarianism. Of course the people driving this totalitarianism are groups that benefit under his regime. 20 million Russians died, they were executed because they were called feudalists from Czar, food was held from them or they were not allowed to produce as it is happening now that millions of Ethiopians are being starved today. 20 millions Russians died in the name of Communism and Stalinism and still the Stalinists, Leninists and Marxists were preaching after they killed 20 million people they were standing for peasants. So those of you still criticizing the old traditional as supposed to the Stanlism going on today in Ethiopia, better look this thing carefully. Absolute indoctrination of Ethiopians under TPLF, starving Ethiopians so that they don’t rise up, economically their livelihood being taken away is sign of Stalinism. Be careful, what you wish for, while we are crying past regimes are bad, we are making today’s regime kings that is worse than past. As it stands now, about 1million Ethiopians are missing and we don’t know what happened. The TPLF will not be blamed if they instigate ethnic and religious war against Ethiopian people. That is the game that is being played right now. They brainwash you first, then they give you the gun and they are free of blood shed. This is how systematically the war is taking place around the world today.
[Reply]
I thank for all the comments over the article by Ludwik Kowalski,I once heard some one say Shakspear and the bible,as people of an ancient country,there is little that can help us to fight this and any kind of injustice wiith out the knowledge based on wisdom and love,Meles and Isayas have to be ashamed,they have no destiny and they will never be rememberd as men of knowledge,as to Stalin people must be helped to forget such monsters,compare Hitler and Stalin with Winston Churchel.Under his leadership the people of the united kingdom fought like a lion that they have made thier country and people proud,before I finished what I wanted to say,let me say only stupid Stalinists can do what Meles is doing now in our proud nation.
[Reply]